Last Time On Total Drama: The Curse of K'wala:
The eighteen players this season were officially introduced! Some are nice (Ruby), some are mean (Drew), and some are just flat out odd (Spencer). When we left off, the three teams had been designated, each of them named after an Australian animal- The Daring Dingos, The Tepid Turtles, and The Wily Wombats.
The first challenge begins soon! Who will take all and who will take the fall? Find out now on…
Total!
Drama!
The Curse of K'wala!
Theme: I Wanna Be Famous (2007)
-Opening Music-
The theme begins with a wide-angle shot of the K'wala Islands, with each of the islands shown respectively. The camera quickly zooms in and rushes past Chris and Logan. Logan rolls his eyes as Chris gives the camera his signature double finger-pistols. Then, the shot moves into the forest.
-Dear Mom and Dad, I'm doing fine-
The forest gives way to a small clearing, where John sits on a stump, playing his guitar. Suddenly, Renee rushes into the clearing and puts a reporter's microphone in his face.
-You guys are on my mind-
The two start arguing, but stop as a figure falls to the ground from the trees, smashing John's guitar and sending the three tumbling to the ground. The figure stands up to reveal himself to be a sheepish Luke.
-You asked me what I wanted to be, and I know I think the answer is plain to see-
The camera zooms behind the trio and to Lake Gellafiche, where Faith and Kevin are on a raft, fishing. The two glance at each other and blush before looking away again. Then, Abigail and Drew's raft comes into view and collides with the other one, sending Kevin and Faith into the water while the villains laugh.
-I wanna be famous-
The camera moves up to the top of Mount Gahkah-Dew, where Nikki is quietly reading a book. Spencer then walks on-screen, and when Nikki looks up, she screams and falls off the cliff and into the water below, while Spencer shrugs at the camera.
-I wanna live close to the Sun-
The scene follows Nikki down the cliff, and then past her, to the land below, where Ilyria speaks to her watch. Nikki makes a large splash in the water, which soaks Ilyria, and her watch goes flying (glinting in the sunlight in synchrony to the chime in the song).
-So pack your bags, 'cause I've already won-
The watch falls at a nearby Addie's feet. He crouches to pick it up but cannot, since at that precise moment Janson barrels into him, followed by an angry Abigail.
-Everything to prove, nothing in my way-
A large dust cloud arises, and when it disperses, the scene has changed. Now, Michael sits glumly on a stump. Connie comes along, sees him, and tries to crack a joke, but Michael stands up and walks away.
-I'll get there one day-
The scene changes again. Now, Ruby and Madeline are talking and giggling. A giant bird swoops in, and Ruby runs away, screaming, while Madeline tries following her in vain.
-'Cause I wanna be famous-
The camera follows the humongous bird's path, and it eventually lands beside Connor, who is meditating on a log. Connor peeps an eye open and is shocked at what he sees. He nervously tries giving the bird a 'peace' sign, but the bird starts to chase him.
-Na na nana nana, na nana nana na, na nana nana na!-
All eighteen contestants are now in the K'wala Caves, running away from a colony of bats. Notably, Nikki trips and falls and Addie helps her up, Luke pirouettes away, and Michael walks at a slow pace as the bats engulf him.
-I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous!-
At each of the 'I wanna be's, three players are shown. First, it's an angry Abigail yelling at a nervous Janson while Madeline looks back and forth to both of them. Then, it's Nikki hiding behind John from Spencer. Third, it's Ruby in the middle looking at both Faith and Kevin expectantly, waiting for them to make a move.
-I wanna be! I wanna be! I wanna be famous!-
Fourth, it's Arianna and Drew making out as Renee tries to shove a microphone in their faces. Fifth, it's Connie and Luke fake singing along to the song with exaggerated movements while Michael slumps over. Finally, it's Addie and Ilyria both glaring at Connor, who shrugs and smirks.
-Doo doodoo doo doodoo…-
Finally, all of the players are whistling around the Verloor Island Campfire. Madeline and Janson lean in for a kiss, but Abigail comes out of nowhere and tackles the gentleman.
-End of Theme-
Day 1- K'wala Dock
Present: All
Confessional: Chris and Logan
"So we left them alone, right?" Chris said. "Well, little do the contestants know, we're not coming back."
Logan nodded. "Right. After a few minutes, the challenge will… appear. The teams will have to figure it out independently."
"Also of note, we have a running bet," Chris added. "He thinks the Dingos will win. I'm saying the Turtles."
Logan shook his head. "Not a snowball's chance in hell. Also," he pointed to a loose floorboard, "we hid a few advantages under the floor."
"Yep! All of this is going to make for a really entertaining first day, I think," Chris said.
Logan smirked. Then his expression changed to disgust. "Wait, why are we still in here?"
The two hurriedly exited the confessional.
Daring Dingos: Faith, Madeline, Ruby, Janson, John, Michael
"So…" Faith said awkwardly. "What do you guys want to talk about?"
She and the rest of her team were huddled together, trying to learn each other's names and the like.
Confessional: Faith- Daring Dingos
"So, after announcing the first challenge, Chris and Logan just left us to our own devices for a while. Well, I'd best be getting people to like me if I don't want to be voted off."
"I'll start," Faith started. "I'm Faith, I'm from New Brunswick, and I love photography and strawberry ice cream."
"Hi Faith," the others chanted in a monotone sarcastically. They all cracked up when they realized they had spoken in unison.
"Alright, alright, I'll go next," John said. "I'm John, and I'm a sort-of famous guitarist from Toronto. I like hamburgers and... " his voice dropped to a whisper. "...rom-coms."
They all laughed again as John smiled sheepishly.
Confessional: Madeline- Daring Dingos
"The team dynamic here is great- I can't believe we're all getting along so well! Especially with Janson on my side- Hey, what's this?"
Madeline crouched down and peered through the floorboards. An overhead camera showed her pulling one of the board up, to reveal three pouches- one with a red ribbon, one with a blue ribbon, and one with a black ribbon.
"Game Changers… Please Take One," she read excitedly. "Wow!"
She took the blue-ribboned pouch. "Game Changer… Do not open until Day 2! Oh my gosh! This is so awesome!" Madeline beamed. "I can't wait to open this!"
Ruby went next with a grin on her face. "Well, I'm Ruby. Um… Let's see… I'm also from Toronto, I'm afraid of birds, and- What?"
This comment was directed at John, who had to quickly hide a snicker. "Nothing, just… Birds, out of everything?"
Faith glared at the guitarist. "You're not winning any friends right now, you know."
John realized this. "You're right. Sorry."
Ruby shrugged indifferently. "No problem…"
Confessional: John- Daring Dingos
"Man, I'm on a social losing streak right now. I need to do something to redeem myself."
"Do you want to go next, Michael?" John asked the nerd politely.
Michael didn't look up. "No…" he mumbled.
"Okay," John rolled with it. "Janson?"
Janson puffed out his chest, causing Madeline to giggle. "I, my friends, am Janson! I hail from Singapore, but as of right now I live in Calgary."
Madeline was surprised. "Hey! I live there too!"
Janson chuckled. "What a coincidence! I also enjoy cats and impressionist paintings," he finished.
"Exciting," Michael mumbled.
Faith looked over at him, surprised. "You have a sense of humor? You?"
"...And that's why I don't express myself…" Michael finished.
Confessional: Michael- Daring Dingos
"See? Criticism and shock whenever I act normal. Sheesh," he sighs and looks down- and in doing so, spots the loose board.
"... Meh… I don't deserve it..." He shrugs and leaves.
Confessional: Michael- Daring Dingos
Michael quickly reenters the confessional and takes the advantage with the red ribbon. "Maybe just one…"
Faith smiled warmly. "How about you, Madeline?"
Madeline took a half-step back as the metaphorical spotlight was put on her. "I… um…"
"Relax," Janson instinctively put a hand on her shoulder. "Nobody is testing you here."
Madeline visibly calmed under Janson's influence. "...My name is Madeline, and I like gymnastics and cats," she exhaled.
"Gymnastics, huh?" Faith mused. "Can we see one of your moves?"
"Sure!" Madeline crouched down and was suddenly backflipping through the air. She landed perfectly as the others- especially Janson, who cheered as well.
"Amazing! You have the brains, the brawn, and clearly the beauty," Janson winked at Madeline, who blushed and looked away.
Confessional: Janson- Daring Dingos
"Ah… Too easy. Soon, we'll be in an alliance, and I'll rule the game. Now, who to eliminate first… Faith is the strongest player here. I think I'll eliminate her first, followed by John."
Wily Wombats: Connie, Ilyria, Renee, Addie, Connor, Luke
"...And so I said to the cab driver, 'Sure!' and I slapped him!" Connie finished. Her teammates hooted with laughter. Well, Ilyria didn't- but then, she never really did.
"That's a good one…" Addie sighed, recovering from his laughing fit. "How do you come up with this stuff?"
Connie grinned dopily. "I just do, I guess!"
Confessional: Connie- Wily Wombats
"Things are going great! Believe it or not, though, that's part of my strategy- as long as people like having me around, and I don't get on anyone's bad side, then I'm golden. That's the reasoning behind my 'no-alliances' rule as well."
Confessional: Renee- Wily Wombats
"It's clear to me that Addie and Connie have the best social game here. While Ilyria isn't as well-liked, she has the obvious advantage of a potential romantic partner in Addie, and Luke can hold his own in challenges. Due to this, I need to seek out Connor in a potential alliance." She tipped her hat. "This is Renee Delaney, signing off for now."
"Sir," Renee whispered to Connor as Connie started to tell another joke.
Connor turned to her. "Sister, there are no egos here. Please call me Connor, or merely 'brother', after all, we're all-"
"Yes, yes, that's nice," Renee interrupted, scribbling on a notepad. "But there are more pressing matters at the moment. I was, in fact, hoping to interest you in an alliance. I have here the statistics that I hoped to show you pertaining to the effectiveness of these-"
"I'm in," Connor nodded.
"Really?" Renee was surprised. She slowly put away her notepad.
"Sister," the hippie spread his arms wide. "Your vibe is earnest, and I myself need a friend in the game."
"Wow," Renee said. "Thanks."
"You're welcome. Also, I don't like your hat," Connor stated.
He turned back towards Connie without another word.
Confessional: Renee- Wily Wombats
"I don't understand Connor one bit. And as a journalist, I despise not understanding people."
Confessional: Connor- Wily Wombats
"...And my place in the game is secured, at least for one day. Renee and I have not yet had the chance to talk strategy, but the way I see it, Ilyria should be the next to go- she is my least favorite player on my team."
The girl in question, Ilyria, was standing on the outside of the group. She occasionally looked at her watch, as if expecting something to happen. The secret agent definitely looked panicked.
"...Earth to Ilyria…" Addie smiled wryly. "Is there anyone home?"
"What?" Ilyria looked up, startled. "Yes?"
"Just saying hi. Wanna introduce yourself?" Addie asked, rather pleasantly.
Ilyria, who had stopped paying attention by this point, said, "Okay," and went back to staring at her watch.
Addie did a double take. "...So?"
Ilyria looked up again, this time annoyed. "So what?"
Addie smacked his forehead.
Confessional: Addie- Wily Wombats
"Either Ilyria is the biggest airhead on the island- which is unlikely since she's too serious for that- or there's something much more important going on. Whatever it is, I hope she finishes soon because I want to talk to her- she seems like a cool girl."
Confessional: Ilyria- Wily Wombats
"I may seem a little… distracted, but only because the suspect has not appeared yet! I was told they would be here by now. I was promised!"
"You two are just the cutest," Luke smiled. "It makes me think of my first girlfriend."
"Yes?" Renee asked since Addie and Ilyria were both performing the all-important duty of blushing. "Who?" She pulled out her notepad.
Luke sighed. "Susy Jones. We were meant for each other! But, alas, second-grade romances tended to not work out in those days. Oh, why, why, Susy!" Luke was suddenly sobbing, to the surprise of his teammates.
He jumped up. "Just kidding."
Ilyria rolled her eyes while Connie snickered.
Confessional: Renee- Wily Wombats
"My synopsis on Luke- he's an overly dramatic teen who has a good social game, but a poor mental game. I believe, in our newfound alliance, Connor and I should target him first.
Confessional: Luke- Wily Wombats
"Clearly, everybody loves me. Of course, that could be an issue when I have to get rid of someone…" He scratches his chin thoughtfully.
"So, why'd you come here, Luke?" Connie asked.
Luke thought about this. "I just like competing! Maybe, I told myself, I could even get a boyfriend or a girlfriend. And now I have one!"
"No, you don't!" Michael shouted, from across the dock.
Luke smiled. "He's so cute when he's in denial. What about you, Connie?"
"Well," Connie's face suddenly grew dark, disturbed. "I have a bit of a past where I'm from. Being here… it's like I'm escaping, you know?"
Luke nodded. "I understand. Which parent?"
Connie was taken aback by his abruptness. "Mother. You?"
Luke sighed. "My dad. Cardiac arrest. I was thirteen."
"I'm sorry," Connie said. The actor and the comedienne shared a hug.
"Yeah, well, can't change the past. Only the future, yeah?" Luke asked rhetorically.
Confessional: Connie- Wily Wombats
"Just… wow. I wasn't expecting any heartfelt conversations for a while, especially from Luke, of all people. I guess it just goes to show what a good friend he is!"
"...Well…" Connie looked at the others, who were also paying attention to their conversation- especially Renee, who was writing down notes on her pad. "...What now?"
Tepid Turtles: Abigail, Arianna, Nikki, Drew, Kevin, Spencer
As the team stood on their mat, there was dead silence.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
Finally, Arianna broke the spell. "When is Chris coming back? I'm hot!"
"Don't I know it," Drew replied smoothly. Unbeknownst to him, Arianna rolled her eyes.
"Well, you're going to have to wait," Kevin glanced at her over the rim of his glasses. "We received very clear instructions if I'm not mistaken."
"Easy for you to say," Arianna grumbled. "You have your dumb writing to keep you entertained. What are you even writing about?"
"Nothing," Kevin mumbled, staring down suddenly.
"Oh, is ickle Kevy Wevy embarrassed?" Arianna mocked.
Kevin stood up quickly. "If you must know, I am actually compiling a list of the names, personalities, and threat-levels of every contestant here, so I can methodically eliminate them in the order in which I desire them to be eliminated in," he said, stern but sarcastic. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must use the confessional."
Confessional: Kevin- Tepid Turtles
"In reality, I was just drawing a dolphin, but Arianna doesn't need to know that. Maybe a target was out on my back; but then, I might use that to my advantage."
Confessional: Arianna- Tepid Turtles
"...Kevin needs to go."
Meanwhile, Abigail kept glancing over her shoulder at Janson, occasionally muttering scathing comments like, 'that little slime' and 'manipulating douche', and other fun tidbits that would make this story lose its K rating.
After the hundredth time, Nikki looked at Janson's ex. "Um…"
"Shut up," Abigail barked.
"Sorry!…" Nikki cried, before clamping a hand over her mouth.
"No, never mind," Abigail said, softer this time. "I'm just mad. Janson's working his little claws into that girl, and I'm stuck over here doing nothing! By the time the merge comes, she'll be so deceived that I won't be able to convince her of his true colors!" Abigail suddenly clenched her fists.
"Well…" Nikki trailed off.
"Well, what?" Abigail looked at her.
"...What if… we were in an alliance?..." Nikki rushed on before Abigail could say anything. "We could vote together and then we could work together to prove Janson wrong and then we'd both be in the game and then-"
"Nikki," Abigail hushed her. "I'll do it."
"Really?" Nikki said, surprised.
"...But we need three for a majority," Abigail finished. "And I'm not working with Kevin."
One could almost see Nikki figuring out what this meant. When she did, her face fell. "No… not him…"
Abigail put a hand on her shoulder. "It's the only way."
Confessional: Abigail- Tepid Turtles
"Actually, there are several other ways, but I think Nikki needs to face this silly fear of hers sooner rather than later. And so, in comes…"
"...Spencer?" Abigail asked. The mime popped his head up and looked at her. "Nikki has something to ask you."
Spencer slowly approached the two girls. He nodded his head as if to say, yes?
"I… um…" Nikki tried to look away. She couldn't for long. "Well… you see… I…" beads of sweat dotted her forehead. "It's… I… WAUGH!"
Nikki hurled herself off the dock.
Confessional: Spencer- Tepid Turtles
Spencer merely shrugs.
Confessional: Abigail- Tepid Turtles
"...Perhaps I pushed her too hard."
Because of the layout of the dock, Nikki was forced to swim to shore. While she was doing this, the rest of her team resumed talking.
"So…" Drew looked over. "What was that all about?"
Abigail waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, nothing."
Drew smacked his lips together. "I'm parched," he threw a cigarette butt into the ocean, narrowly missing Nikki. "Who wants to get us some ice cold drinks?"
Spencer reached into his satchel and pulled out five popsicles. He handed them out to his grateful team.
"And to think I was joking," Drew said aloud. He patted Spencer on the back. "Thanks, buddy."
"Wait, how did these stay cold?" Arianna asked, her mouth already purple. "Never mind. I don't even want to know."
Confessional: Drew- Tepid Turtles
"While I was grateful for the popsicles, it's clear to me that Spencer needs to go home first. He's smarter than he lets on, despite the whole mime shtick."
"...I'm back…" Nikki breathed heavily. She looked up. "...popsicles?..."
Abigail helped her up, and Spencer gave Abigail a popsicle to hand to Nikki.
"Do we have that banner Chris gave us?" Abigail asked. Kevin handed it over, and Abigail draped it over Nikki. "That should help you dry off."
"Thanks…" Nikki examined the cloth banner as she toweled off with it.
Confessional: Nikki- Tepid Turtles
"That was a little embarrassing. What if everyone hates me now for using this banner?" She holds it up, but it slips out of her hand. "Whoops."
Nikki reaches down to grab the banner- and in doing so, spots the final advantage. "Oh!..." She takes the advantage. "This is awesome! I can't wait to tell Abigail!"
"Seriously, though," Arianna groaned. "When is Chris coming?"
"Have a little patience," Kevin shot back.
"Um… guys?" Nikki said, a quaver in her voice.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I've been waiting for forty minutes!" Arianna said, ignoring her.
"That must be so difficult for you to stomach, you sheltered preppy," Abigail got into the argument. "You've never spent forty minutes outside?"
"Guys…" Nikki said, a little louder this time.
Arianna glared at Abigail. "Of course I have! Just not in New freaking Zealand! Besides, all you care about is your dumb boyfriend!"
"Ex-boyfriend!" Abigail clarified. "And of course I care! I have a soul, after all!"
"I find that hard to believe, actually," Drew snickered.
"Guys…" Nikki said for a third time, a little annoyed.
"Why?" Kevin asked Drew sarcastically. "Because you're comparing her to yourself?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Drew glared at the writer.
"GUYS!" Nikki shouted, getting everyone's attention.
"What?" Everyone shouted back at Nikki, causing her to shrink away. The girl pointed to the sky.
The players gasped- three wooden boxes were falling from the heavens, supported by flimsy parachutes.
"What the heck are those?" Drew wondered aloud.
"This may shock you," Kevin looked at the lounge singer. "But they appear to be boxes."
"I mean, what's inside them?" Drew glared back.
"We're about to find out," Abigail watched as the three boxes fell onto the dock with a massive THUMP. Everyone was watching now.
"So…" Luke gestured to the boxes. "What-"
BONK. A small canister fell onto his head, knocking the actor over.
"I'm okay!" Luke jumped up. He opened the canister, dumping out a scroll, which he unrolled.
Luke began to read the scroll. "The keys to these boxes will fall out of the sky now."
Sure enough, three key rings fell out of the air into Addie's hand, Ruby's hand, and Nikki's face. There were several keys on each ring.
"When I clap my hands, the one member of each team will race to open the boxes. Inside is a puzzle lock, which two more members will attempt. When the lock opened, you will receive a map leading to a clearing in K'wala Forest, where three rewards will be waiting. The first team to arrive will select two, and the second team will select one. Then, follow your maps to your team's islands, and set up camp there. There will be no elimination ceremony tonight, as this challenge is exclusively for a reward. Clap your hands."
Everyone stared at Luke as the message sunk in. "Oh!"
He clapped his hands, and the teams started the challenge.
After a few valuable moments used to strategize, the teams chose John, Addie, and Spencer to unlock their boxes. These three players rushed forward and began to fiddle with their key rings, while their teammates cheered them on.
Daring Dingos: Faith, Madeline, Ruby, Janson, John, Michael
"Let's go, John!" Faith and Ruby cheered. Soon, the rest of the Daring Dingos took it on as a chant. "Let's go, John, let's go!... Let's go, John, let's go!..."
John grinned and tried another key in the lock, which didn't fit.
The Tepid Turtles on the other hand, were trying a… different… method of encouragement.
"Get it together, Spencer!" Arianna screamed. Drew tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but she shook him off. "If you lose, we'll vote you out!"
"Calm down a smidgen, hon," Drew tried to calm her. "It's just for a reward, remember. And he's doin' the best he can."
"No! I will not calm down! Who knows what we could be losing right now! So get a bloody move on!" Arianna kept yelling at the mime.
Spencer sighed and tried another key.
Wily Wombats: Connie, Ilyria, Renee, Addie, Connor, Luke
"Argh!" Addie grunted as another key failed. He was sampling the keys faster than anyone else but to no avail.
"Don't give up, Addie!" Connie encouraged from the sidelines.
"Ah, to hell with it," Addie tossed away the ring and pulled a bobby pin out of his hair. He worked it into the lock, and, sure enough, opened it in seconds.
"Wow! Addie is showing surprising- maybe even questionable- talents early in the game," Renee said as Addie raced back. "Will his team rally-"
"GO!" her team shouted. The reporter and Connor were forced to the puzzle- a 15-tile slider.
"This may not be the best time to mention, sister," Connor looked at the puzzle nervously, "But I've never done this before."
John and Spencer looked at Connor, and then at each other, and then at their locks. They both sped up.
"You can do it, John!" Faith said, a tad nervous.
"Don't mess this up!" Arianna yelled, a tad furious.
Tepid Turtles: Abigail, Arianna, Nikki, Drew, Kevin, Spencer
CLICK. Spencer suddenly opened their lock and raced back, to a satisfied team. Arianna and Kevin teamed up to try and solve the puzzle, which involved Arianna moving the pieces and Kevin getting his hand slapped away repeatedly.
"So… I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but we are a team, right?" Kevin asked as he reached for the puzzle, only to get his hand slapped again.
"Yes," Arianna dropped her voice. "But luckily, if we win, it's all me, and if we lose, I only take half the blame. What? I have a plan inside a plan, Kevy Wevy."
Kevin glared at her. "I have a name. Use it," he stepped back and let Arianna do the puzzle. When she wasn't looking, he gave an apologetic glance to his team.
Wily Wombats: Connie, Ilyria, Renee, Addie, Connor, Luke
Connor and Renee were still working on the puzzle. Their team, while still cheering, was losing optimism.
"Say…" Renee bit her lip. "Can we-" she unsuccessfully tried to lift one of the sliding tiles. "Nuts."
Connor was just staring at the puzzle. "Er… nah."
Needless to say, progress was not made.
"Hey, can we substitute players?" Addie wondered aloud, not expecting a response.
BONK. One hit him on the head in a small container.
"No," He read. He looked up, but nothing was there. "Are you two just waiting in a tree in case we ask rhetorical questions that you can answer?"
BONK. "No. Shut up."
Daring Dingos: Faith, Madeline, Ruby, Janson, John, Michael
John was really getting mad now. He only had a few keys left, but the guitarist was making no progress.
He put in a key, twisted it and…
Nothing. There were only four unused keys left. John swore and tried again.
Nothing. Three left. John tried again.
Nothing. Two left….
CLICK! The lock finally opened on the second to last key. John hung his head as Faith rushed in, accompanied by-
"Michael?!" Drew asked incredulously as he observed. "Are they trying to lose?" He turned back to the duo- or rather, just Arianna- who was working on the puzzle. "How ya doin', sugar?"
Tepid Turtles: Abigail, Arianna, Nikki, Drew, Kevin, Spencer
"Fine!" Arianna barked back. Kevin was still observing, but now he had a wry grin on his face.
"I could help," he offered, knowing the response.
"And have you lose the challenge for us? As if," Arianna rolled her eyes.
"Alrighty, then," Kevin said. "I'll be waiting when you want the solution on my notepad."
Arianna paused. "Wait. What?"
Wily Wombats: Connie, Ilyria, Renee, Addie, Connor, Luke
Connor and Renee had now moved one piece of the fifteen into its proper position, and even that was accidental. They were now in the process of trying to rotate the pieces.
"You got this!" Connie encouraged. "Show that puzzle who's boss! Amiright, Ily- hey, where'd Ilyria go?"
"Confessional, probably," Luke rationed. "She uses it more than the rest of us combined."
"True, true," Connie agreed. She noticed Addie's troubled expression. "What?"
Addie shook his head. "Nothing. Just… nothing."
Daring Dingos: Faith, Madeline, Ruby, Janson, John, Michael
Faith pulled a dreary Michael to the puzzle. She started to work on it, while he did not. "Okay, Michael. I know for a fact that you're the smartest one here-"
"You don't know that," Michael protested.
"What's the atomic mass for silver?" she asked.
Michael responded reflexively. "One hundred and seven point eight six eight two daltons," his brain caught up to his mouth, and he groaned. "Point taken. So?"
"So, use that brain to help us win!" Faith encouraged.
Michael sighed. "Why, though? When I solved the puzzle, and we hypothetically won the reward, then I'd get a small spark of hope that would be extinguished as soon as you voted me out first. At least if we lose, I won't doubt myself."
Faith thought about it. "That has a kind of pessimistic logic to it, I will admit. But, you forgot something."
Michael's eyes flickered, and for a second you could see a smirk on his face. "And what might that be?"
Faith pointed to the other teams. Arianna was struggling with the puzzle, and shrieking at Kevin to give up the answer. Abigail kept shooting angry glances at Janson. Connor and Renee were fumbling around with the puzzle. Luke was dancing around wildly.
"Do you really want any of them to win?" Faith asked. "You're on a team with good people, trying to do good things. Help us win this challenge and all of the rest, and then at least you can go home knowing you did something. Does that not seem better?"
Michael paused. "It does."
He solved the puzzle in eighteen moves.
"Yes!" The Daring Dingos cheered and ran up to claim their map, but in the confusion…
"Ow!" Madeline fell down, clutching her foot. "I think I sprained my ankle!"
Janson looked at her sympathetically. "Sorry, Madeline. Do you think you can run?"
Madeline tried to stand but fell down again. She shook her head.
"Well then," Janson reached down and picked up the gymnast, fireman-style, "we'll just have to make do. Who's got the map?"
"Me," John said. "I can lead- I've been reading maps for years. Trust me."
Janson nodded. "Let's go then!"
The Daring Dingos trudged away slowly.
Tepid Turtles: Abigail, Arianna, Nikki, Drew, Kevin, Spencer
"You have the solution?" Arianna asked Kevin, over at the Turtles' puzzle.
"I think so," Kevin agreed. "And all you have to do to get it is apologize."
"For what?" Arianna was baffled.
Kevin scoffed. "For being a complete control freak and hurting everyone's feelings! Only two words, hon. That's all."
"Come on!" Drew protested from the sidelines. "You're being-"
"Unreasonable?" Kevin glared at the lounge singer. "Well, I'm sure Arianna here will pay it back in full. I don't like bad people. And I don't want respect, but I do want justice. The sooner you learn that, the better. Now," he turned to Arianna. "I believe you were saying something along the lines of…?"
Arianna tried to stare the autistic writer down. It didn't work. Seconds passed. She opened her mouth…
… "I'm sorry," Arianna said, not a trace of sincerity in her voice.
Kevin nodded. Then he turned to the puzzle and moved four tiles, finishing the puzzle.. "You would have gotten it in no time anyway." He grabbed the map. "Well, let's go!"
The rest of the team stared at him in shock, not fully believing that Kevin had been able to tame Arianna. Then, they ran with him, leaving the last team.
Wily Wombats: Connie, Ilyria, Renee, Addie, Connor, Luke
"Where is she, though?" Addie kept looking at the dock. "How long could that confessional have been?"
"Don't worry about it," Luke said. "It's not like she's missing out on anything," he added wryly.
He looked at the puzzle. Connor and Renee had now moved three pieces into their places.
"Still…" he turned his head and yelped.
Ilyria was standing right next to him.
"Um… What's this?" She asked before anyone could get a word out. "Oh, a puzzle? Well, that's simple. All you must do is-"
Before anyone could question her sudden disappearance or her even more sudden reappearance, she relayed off the entire set of instructions to Connor and Renee, who solved the puzzle in no time.
"Don't stand there all gobsmacked, let's get moving!"Ilyria commanded her team. "Or did you forget that there's a challenge going on?"
"But-" Addie protested.
"No buts! Win first, speak second!"" Ilyria glared.
The Wily Wombats ran off as Addie muttered under his breath. "...Like two different people…"
Daring Dingos: Faith, Madeline, Ruby, Janson, John, Michael
Back at first place, John was leading a struggling Daring Dingos. They needed to move slowly or else Madeline would cry out in pain, but the pace was clearly frustrating.
"I'm... really sorry, guys," Madeline whimpered, her face pale.
"No, no, don't worry," Janson grunted, still carrying her. "If anything, we should be apologizing to you. Did you just fall, or.."
The second part of his question went through everyone's heads. ...or were you pushed?
Madeline tried to think about it. "I… I don't know. I can't concentrate here. Turtles."
John turned around. "What? Guys, I think she's going into shock."
Madeline shook her head weakly. "No… they're right behind us…"
Tepid Turtles: Abigail, Arianna, Nikki, Drew, Kevin, Spencer
Indeed, the Tepid Turtles were jogging forwards, at a much faster pace than the Dingos. Kevin, surprisingly, led the team.
"Hold up," he stopped as they came up beside their opposition. "What's wrong?"
Faith looked surprised- and maybe endeared- by Kevin's sympathy, even in a challenge. "Madeline sprained her ankle."
Spencer clapped his hands once, to get everyone's attention. Then, he pulled out some bubble wrap. Gesturing for Madeline, he tentatively wrapped the plastic around her ankle, then used duct tape to hold it in place. He made an inquisitive thumbs up, silently asking, any better?
Madeline wiggled her ankle. "A little bit, thanks."
Spencer nodded, his work done. He handed Madeline a popsicle.
Kevin looked satisfied. "Off we go, then."
Abigail cleared her throat. "You guys go ahead. I'll catch up." when her team stared at her, she added, "I did track for six years. I can outrun a guy carrying an injured girl in my sleep."
Arianna scowled. "Don't lose this for us."
The rest of the team ran off, moving into first.
"So," Abigail started to walk with the Daring Dingos. She was talking to Madeline. "Is this a good time to talk about Janson?"
Ruby turned around, shocking everyone. "Not this again! Abigail… Janson has been nothing but kind to us! He's so sweet to Madeline, and we all think that you're crazy! So stop!... Please…"
Abigail stared at the shy girl, comprehending her spunk. "Is this how you all feel?"
The team nodded.
Abigail sighed. "Then I have no choice. MEDIC! MADELINE BROKE HER ANKLE!"
She sprinted off as the staff medic rushed on to the scene, effectively delaying them. In fact, the whole exchange hadn't taken long at all, so she caught up with her team in no time.
Drew looked back, satisfied. "Nice one, girl. And would you look at that…"
The Tepid Turtles had arrived on the scene first, where the prizes were waiting, covered by cloths. They all stepped on their mat and cheered. "We won!"
Wily Wombats: Connie, Ilyria, Renee, Addie, Connor, Luke
The Wily Wombats hear the celebrations, and knew they were close. In fact, no sooner had they heard this than they passed the Daring Dingos, who had been forced to wait on the sidelines as Madeline's foot was evaluated.
"Maybe we-" Addie started.
"No time!" Ilyria said. "We need to win!"
And win they did, coming in second place. The Dingos followed several minutes after, with Madeline on crutches.
"Congratulations, Turtles!" Chris said, coming out of the brush. "And a smaller congratulations, Wombats! For placing in first and second, your teams will win a prize. But first, Madeline, what's your status?Madeline looked meekly at Chris. "It's just a minor sprain. They'll re-evaluate tomorrow, but I should be cleared to continue."
The other teams applauded, even Abigail, albeit reluctantly.
"And now…" Chris said, building up the anticipation. "The prizes! Want to know what you fought for?"
The Turtles nodded eagerly. Chris pulled the blankets off the prizes.
"Food!" he said, as the contestants looked longingly at a plate of meats and cheeses. "Fire!" he added, as the perspective changed to reveal matches, pre-cut tinder and kindling, and several unlit torches. "And shelter!" He said, as the camera shifted, now showing two massive tarps, ropes, and large pre-cut acacia planks.
"The choice is yours, Turtles," he said, as the team huddled together. "Pick two. Fire, food, or shelter?"
Arianna spoke up. "We will take…
...food and fire."
Chris nodded as they grabbed their prizes. "That means that you, Wombats, get shelter!"
Connie grinned. "Wanted that one anyway. It's a win-win."
"Dingos," Chris said solemnly. "You get nothing, except the knowledge that you're the worst team so far in this competition. Your maps will show your camps. Now get going."
The teams started to walk away.
Confessional: Kevin- Tepid Turtles
"I led the team to a win. Me. I'm not going to make it a habit or anything, but it felt good. Maybe now I'll be seen as an asset."
Confessional: Renee- Wily Wombats
"While I am disappointed in my personal performance, I was glad to receive a reward. Now it's time to enact my plan."
Confessional: Janson- Daring Dingos
"...And that, my friends, is the story of how I injured my girlfriend to get her to trust me. What, you thought I wasn't all in? You'd be dead wrong."
Confessional: Chris and Logan
Logan hands Chris a five-dollar bill. "I'll get you one of these days."
"Never bet against the house, Logan," Chris smirks. He turns to the camera.
"Tensions are rising already! Will Madeline ever see the truth about Janson?" Chris asked.
"Will Connor and Renee's alliance actually work?" Logan asked skeptically.
"And seriously. What is Ilyria's deal?" Chris wondered.
"There's a realistically small chance of finding out-" Logan started to stay. Chris smacked him.
"You will most certainly find out," Logan revised.
"On Total!" Chris said.
"Drama!" Logan added.
"The Curse of K'wala!" They said together.
Addie climbed up a rocky portion of the hill on his team's island. He paused to wipe sweat from his brow but soon continued. In no time, he was at the top of a large hill.
"Man," he muttered. "This is draining."
He pulled out a ring from his pocket. "Crap. Whose is this?"
He started to throw it away, but instead put the ring on his finger. "I'll figure it out soon enough."
Then, a large mechanical noise made the thief turn his head. "What the heck?"
He watched as a small light, like a star, moved through the air. But it wasn't a star.
Even from a distance, Addie could recognize Ilyria.
A/N: Well, there it is. I wanted a reward challenge chapter to set things up while still having that much-needed tension. Plus, it's not like things didn't happen- the Connor and Renee alliance, Faith coaxing Michael out of his shell, Abigail trying to convince Madeline of Janson's manipulative ways, and, of course, all of the advantages. Hope you enjoyed the bonus scene- Addie and Ilyria's unlikely romance will take the forefront in these first few chapters. Janson and Madeline will be the secondary ship for now, and the other couples will have their stories unfold later.
Question Time!
1: Was the challenge confusing? I thought it might be since I was switching from one team to another every five lines.
2: Who is your favorite official couple? (Ilyria x Addie, Madeline x Janson, Arianna x Drew, Faith x Kevin, Connie x Spencer, or one-sided Luke x Michael)
3: Targets have now been placed on several people's backs, and advantages have been found. Has your opinion on who the first elimination changed? If so, to whom?
Thank you!
